United Federation of Planets
de:F%F6deration The United Federation of Planets, also referred to as the Federation, is an interstellar alliance of planetary governments and colonies. The various members of the Federation are organized under the unifying goals of peaceful coexistence, trade, science, exploration, and mutual defense. Its territory encompasses at least several dozen sectors in both the Alpha and Beta Quadrants, spread across nearly 8,000 light-years of space. As of 2373, there were more than 150 members of the Federation, and over 1,000 semi-autonomous colonies. (Star Trek: First Contact) Many of the Federation member worlds were originally Human colonies, which is the reason Humans make up the majority of Starfleet membership. The Federation is currently the most powerful interstellar organization of the known galaxy. Unlike the vast majority of other major and regional empires, where power is derived from a single dominant race that subjugates other nearby planets and species, all members of the Federation have joined willingly and coexist equally with the other members. Although its multispecies origin has caused it to be labeled a "mongrel" power by some outsiders, its diverse origins have also given it a unique strength over the past 200 years. History Main article: Federation History. The Federation was founded in 2161 (TNG: "The Outcast"), in San Francisco on Earth, shortly after the end of the Earth-Romulan War. At the same time, a new defensive and exploratory agency called Starfleet was founded, composed of the militaries of each of the member worlds, but primarily the Earth Starfleet. Although the Federation's intentions were peaceful, its policies of expansion almost inevitably brought it into conflict with other races in the region. In the 23rd century, the most notable conflict was with the Klingon Empire, and war briefly erupted in 2266, before being halted by the Organians. (TOS: "Errand of Mercy") However, this tension eased considerably towards the end of the century, with the Khitomer Conference of 2293 being a substantial turning point. As the 24th century opened, the Federation began an unprecedented period of peaceful exploration of the galaxy, without any major conflicts along its borders. A series of local conflicts flared in the late 2340s, with the Federation encountering races such as the Cardassians, the Talarians, the Sheliak, the Tholians, and other minor regional powers like the Tzenkethi. These conflicts were short-lived, in no small part due to the power exerted by Starfleet at that time. But the darkest period in Federation history was soon to arrive. First contact with the Borg Collective led to a series of attacks on Federation outposts. The Battle of Wolf 359 saw Starfleet dealt a crippling blow, taking many years to even partially recover. (TNG: "The Best of Both Worlds, Part II") The Federation soon learned that the enemies they had dealt with in the past were nothing compared to the powerful forces found elsewhere in the galaxy. In the 2370s, contact was made with the Dominion, the ruling power of the Gamma Quadrant. After numerous skirmishes, the Dominion allied itself with the Cardassian Union, and launched an invasion of the Alpha Quadrant. The war that followed was the greatest crisis in Federation history. Although the Allied forces eventually emerged victorious, many of the Federation's important member worlds - including Betazed, Coridan, and Benzar - had been temporary occupied before the Dominion's offensive could be turned back. Thousands of starships and millions of lives were lost, in what was the most bloody conflict in recent history. (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) However, the war and its aftermath allowed the Federation to establish new relations with many of its former adversaries. In particular, relations with the Romulan Star Empire improved dramatically, marking the beginnings of détente with a traditional enemy of the Federation. (Star Trek: Nemesis). By the 26th Century, the Federation had become an even more powerful entity. The Klingon Empire, now fully integrated into the Federation, bolstered the membership of the alliance, along with races such as the Ithenites, and Xindi. In the 2550s, the Federation proved instrumental in halting the Sphere Builder invasion of the galaxy, an action which caused the Sphere Builders to try to stop the Federation from ever being formed. (ENT: "Azati Prime") In the 31st century, the Federation became embroiled in the Temporal Cold War, attempting to maintain the integrity and outcome of the timeline as was. Government The government of the Federation is organized as a federal republic, where the member planets and colonies form semi-autonomous districts. Central authority in the Federation is delegated to the Federation Council, the legislative branch of the government, and to the Federation President, the executive and head of state. The Council meets in San Francisco (Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home), while the President's offices are located in Paris (Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country). The Federation has a specific process for accepting the application of new members. First, a potential member must be a unified planetary government. (TNG: "Attached") The process of going from a candidate to full membership by acceding to the Federation Charter takes approximately five years. (DS9: "Rapture") At the end of the process, the new member world becomes a fully equal partner in the interstellar alliance. Economy The Federation has a massive socialist economy, built around large scale, inexpensive production of almost all consumer goods. No money is used for all basic expenses, such as food, clothing and shelter. The basic unit of exchange is the Federation credit. The introduction of replicators in the early- to mid-24th century drastically changed the orientation of the economy, as matter-energy conversion reduced the cost of most small- to medium-scale objects to practically nothing. Large-scale construction is efficiently handled, as well. The driving force of Federation society is no longer the acquisition of wealth, but rather the benefit of all. Perhaps ironically, entrepreneurship is still encouraged, although the primary goal of most ventures is no longer turning a profit. Instead, most ventures are intended for personal enjoyment and improvement. (DS9: "In the Cards") The various systems of the Federation are generally rich in natural resources, although their intrinsic worth has changed as the replicators reduced the need for most refined and semi-refined materials. Currently, one of the most valuable minerals is dilithium, which is critical in regulating the matter-antimatter reactions in the Federation's power generators. External links * The United Federation of Planets - Titan Fleet Yards * United Federation of Planets at Wikipedia